Maid jailed for 28 days for hitting 10-year-old ward

By Vir B. Lumicao

Eastern Court

A Filipina who was convicted of hitting her 10-year-old female ward for throwing a tantrum was sentenced to 28 days in jail at Eastern Court on Aug 11.

Emerolyne M. Labii was in tears as Magistrate Cheng Lim-chi read his verdict at the
conclusion of a three-day trial in which the court heard video-recorded evidence from the victim, the child’s grandmother, two police officers and the maid herself.

The magistrate said he found the child’s statement clear and reliable despite her age. In contrast, he said Labii’s evidence was not credible.

“The girl was only 10 years old, she was just a child when you assaulted her,” Cheng said, as he rejected the defense counsel’s plea for a suspended sentence. He said he adopted 28 days as a starting point for sentencing and imposed that jail term fully.

The magistrate acknowledged that the child suffered no permanent injuries, and had reached out to Labii to show that she still cared for the maid who looked after her for three years despite the incident.

Two elderly members of Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints were in court to show support for Labii, and testify to her good character. A letter from one said Labii spent practically all her Sundays off doing volunteer work for the church.

Also in court was Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre, who said after the verdict and sentencing that he may organize seminars on child care for Filipino domestic workers so they could avoid getting into a situation like Labii’s.

The case arose from an incident on March 6 this year when Labii admitted that she hit the girl, identified only as “X”, because she threw a tantrum after her grandmother resisted her plea not to leave the house.

In a video-recorded interview, the victim said the maid grabbed her shoulders with both hands and shook her continuously then hit her on the back. The girl also said the defendant hit her on the back and tummy and banged her head on the floor.

A medical report showed the girl suffered a bump on her head and marks on her stomach and back.

Labii, giving evidence, admitted she held the girl by the shoulders and pushed her, then slapped her twice on the back because she shouted at her as she was putting the child’s swimsuit in her bag.

“That attitude so upset me that I grabbed her shoulders, pushed her just once and when she turned her back to me, I slapped her twice on her back,” Labii said from the witness stand in response to the defense lawyer’s question.

The helper said the victim was naughty and prone to throwing tantrums. “I wanted to stop her bad attitude,” Labii said. But she said she did not want to hurt X because she loved the child and was sorry she lost control of herself that afternoon.

But the helper denied banging the victim’s head on the floor, and suggested the girl acquired the bump when she was rolling on the floor during her tantrum. She said the girl was good at telling lies even to her parents.

Before the helper gave evidence, two police officers took turns on the witness stand on Aug 10 as they answered questions from the defense and prosecution.

The first officer who responded to the call about the assault said he did not write down the child’s statements but noted them and wrote his report afterwards. The witness said the victim had a mild swelling on the top of her head. But he said did not check for other injuries “because she was a girl”.

The second officer, who was ordered to investigate the case the following morning, said he went to Eastern Hospital where the child was taken by the police team that responded to the 999 call. He confirmed the victim had indeed suffered injuries.

In reaching his verdict, the magistrate said the helper had admitted slapping the victim, notwithstanding her claim that she used the wrong word “hit” instead of “slap” in her cautioned statement.

He added that he had doubts in the maid’s version of the incident, while in contrast, the child’s evidence was clear and reliable. He accepted the victim’s evidence and convicted Labii.

Pinay’s body still in China

Lorain Asuncion

The repatriation of the remains of Lorain Asuncion, a Hong Kong-based domestic helper who fell to her death on July 24 in Shenzhen while joining her employers on a trip to China, remains uncertain more than two weeks after the tragedy.

According to the victim’s sister, Shenzhen police were expected to conduct an autopsy on the remains on Aug 11 or Aug 14.

This was after their parents sent a special power of attorney to the assistance to nationals section of the Philippine Consulate in Guangzhou authorizing it to request an autopsy by the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau.

Asuncion’s employer met with ATN officers of the Consulate, but details of the talks are being kept confidential.

Asuncion’s sister Jenevieve A. Javier, who flew into Hong Kong on July 30 and went to see the victim’s body in Shenzhen the next day, told The SUN that the employer had refused to meet her.

“He does not want to talk to me face to face, saying he was also a victim of the incident and that this is not the right time for us to meet up,” Javier said.

“Ayaw nila talagang makipag-usap, ewan ko kung bakit. Di man lang sila gumawa ng effort para makipag-usap. Kami pa ang nag-i-insist na makipagkita,” she added.

Relatives of Asuncion have been asking for an autopsy to find out the real cause of the OFW’s death.

“We just want to know the truth so that my sister will get justice,” Javier said. She was hoping to accompany her sister’s body home, unaware that the release process in China would take some time. She was due to return home without accomplishing her mission so she could report back to work.

Meanwhile, Labor Attaché Jalilo dela Torre said the Philippine Overseas Labor Office had blacklisted Asuncion’s employers, a move that would prevent them from hiring any domestic worker from the Philippines in future. - VBL

Labatt takes up OFW’s fight for compensation under mandatory insurance scheme

By Daisy CL Mandap

Labatt dela Torre

Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre has fired off an angry letter to an insurance broker in Manila which rejected a migrant worker’s claim for subsistence allowance under the mandatory insurance law in the Philippines, saying she should have filed it while her case against her employer was ongoing.

Labatt dela Torre sent out the letter dated Aug 13 to PAMIOFW Management Service and Insurance Intermediaries, Inc., taking it to task for rejecting the claim of Mariel F. Tadalan, who recently won a labour case she filed against her Hong Kong employer.

Tadalan, 36, was terminated on Apr 4 this year and was awarded her full claim of $5,568 against her employer on July 7 at Hong Kong’s Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board.

Under Sec 37-A(e) of R.A.10022 or the Migrant Workers Act, she should also have been entitled to a total amount of at least US$300 as subsistence allowance from her Philippine insurer over the three months that she was fighting her labor case in Hong Kong.

On the advice of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office which also certified that she was involved in litigation with her former employer, she filed a claim for subsistence allowance against PAMIOFW. However, the broker turned it down on Aug. 11.

“Please be informed that subsistence allowances (sic) are given if an OFW has an ongoing case or litigation abroad,” said the broker’s letter addressed to Tadalan’s Philippine agency, Angelex Allied Agency. “The insurance company must be notified from the time the case was docketed or from the time that there is a case preceding. In the case of Tadalan the claim was filed to us after it was settled.”

Labatt dela Torre called the response “unprecedented and makes no sense”.

He added, “The reason for the benefit is to afford the worker some kind of temporary relief which can bridge her over some difficult times while the case is pending. It is not diminished by the fact that the case had already been settled or had been resolved in favor of either worker or employer.”

He also noted that the law was still unknown to many migrant workers as it has not been fully disseminated, and so they were unlikely to file a claim as soon as they take their employers to court.

Still, he said, “There is nothing in the law nor its implementing regulations, which requires the worker to file their claim while the case is pending or while the case has not been settled yet. To impose a requirement that is not called for by the law nor its implementing rules is egregious and must not be tolerated”.

Under Section 37-A (e) of RA 10022, a subsistence allowance of at least US$100 per month for a maximum period of six months is payable to a migrant worker “who is involved in a case of litigation for the protection of his/her rights in the receiving country”.

The only other requirement is that the labor attache, or in his absence, an embassy or consular official, issues a certification stating the name of the case and parties, and the nature of the cause of action of the migrant worker.

Sec 37 of RA 10022 also provides other benefits due a migrant worker covered by mandatory insurance, including:
1) Payout of at least US$15,000 in case of the worker’s accidental death;
2) At least US$7,500 compensation in case of the worker’s permanent total disability;
3) Repatriation cost of the worker whose contract is prematurely terminated without valid cause, including the transport of his/her belongings. In case of death, the insurer should pay for the cost of repatriating the worker’s remains;
4) Money claims arising from the employer’s liability which may be awarded to a worker in a settlement of his/her claim with the NLRC. The insurance coverage for money claims shall be at least 3 months for every year of the migrant worker’s contract;
5) Transportation cost for the compassionate visit of a family member to a worker who gets hospitalized abroad for at least seven days;
6) Medical evacuation or medical repatriation of a sick OFW under certain conditions.

A lawyer consulted by The SUN regarding Tadalan’s claim said her insurer must have rejected her claim, thinking it could set a precedent for many similar cases as not a lot of workers seem to be aware of their benefits under RA 10022.

The insurance company might also have banked on the possibility that the migrant worker would just abandon the claim for lack of time or resources.

But the legal expert said that an insurance company that refuses to pay a lawful claim could be blacklisted, or even have its license revoked.

Filipina jailed 28 days for hitting 10-year-old ward

Eastern Court where Labii was sentenced

By Vir B. Lumicao

A Filipina who was convicted of hitting her 10-year-old female ward for throwing a tantrum was sentenced to 28 days in jail at Eastern Court on Aug 11.

Emerolyne M. Labii was in tears as Magistrate Cheng Lim-chi read his verdict at the  conclusion of a three-day trial in which the court heard video-recorded evidence from the

victim, the child’s grandmother, two police officers and the maid herself.

The magistrate said he found the child’s statement clear and reliable despite her age. In contrast, he said Labii was not credible.

“The girl was only 10 years old, she was just a child when you assaulted her,” Cheng said, as he rejected the defense counsel’s plea for a suspended sentence. He said he adopted 28 days as a starting point for sentencing and imposed that jail term fully.

The magistrate acknowledged that the child suffered no permanent injuries, and had reached out to Labii after the incident to show that she still cared for the maid who looked after her for three years.

Two elderly members of Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints were in court to show support for Labii, and testify to her good character. A letter from one said Labii spent practically all her Sundays off doing volunteer work for the church.

Also in court was Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre, who said after the verdict and sentencing that he may organize seminars on child care for Filipino domestic workers so they could avoid getting into a situation like Labii’s.

The case arose from an incident on March 6 this year when Labii admitted that she hit the girl, identified only as “X”, because she threw a tantrum after her grandmother resisted her plea not to leave the house.

In a video-recorded interview, the victim said the maid grabbed her shoulders with both hands and shook her continuously before hitting her on the back. The girl also said the maid hit her on the back and tummy and banged her head on the floor.

A medical report showed the girl suffered a bump on her head and marks on her stomach and back.

Labii, giving evidence, admitted she held the girl by the shoulders and pushed her, then slapped her twice on the back because she shouted at her as she was putting the child’s swimsuit in her bag.

“That attitude so upset me that I grabbed her shoulders, pushed her just once and when she turned her back to me, I slapped her twice on her back,” Labii said from the witness stand in response to the defense lawyer’s question. 

The helper said the victim was naughty and prone to throwing tantrums. “I wanted to stop her bad attitude,” Labii said. But she said she did not want to hurt the girl whom she loved, and was sorry she lost control of herself that afternoon.

But the helper denied banging the victim’s head on the floor, and suggested the girl acquired the bump when she was rolling on the floor during her tantrum. She said the girl was good at telling lies even to her parents.

Before the helper gave evidence, two police officers took turns on the witness stand. 

The first officer who responded to the call about the assault said he did not write down the child’s statements but noted them and wrote his report afterwards. He said the victim had a mild swelling on the top of her head but did not check for other injuries “because she was a girl”.

The second officer who was ordered to investigate the case the following morning, said

he went to Eastern Hospital where the child was taken by the police team that responded to the 999 call. He confirmed the child’s injuries.  

In reaching his verdict, the magistrate said the helper had admitted slapping the victim, notwithstanding her claim that she used the wrong word “hit” instead of “slap” in her cautioned statement.

He added that he had doubts in the maid’s version of the incident, while in contrast, the child’s evidence was clear and reliable. He also said that the Filipina had shown no remorse for what she did.

Read The SUN's latest issue:

Desserts in a hurry

By Jo Campos

Stressed because of some unexpected guests? Why not spell the word “stressed” backwards so you get - “desserts”!

A good dessert does not need to be too complicated to make. There are several ways of doing them which do not require an oven or spend a couple of hours of preparation.
Here are a few desserts recipes I have tried, all of which incorporate fruits in the ingredients for a healthier treat  They’re perfect for kids and grown-ups alike, esoecially during these hot summer days.

Strawberry Cheesecake Salad

Strawberry Cheesecake Salad

INGREDIENTS
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
16 oz. cool whip
16 oz. strawberries, sliced
2 ripe bananas, sliced
12 oz. raspberries
3 tbsp. crushed graham crackers


DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in Cool Whip until combined.
2. Fold in strawberries, bananas, and raspberries. Transfer to serving bowl and sprinkle top with graham cracker crumbs

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites

INGREDIENTS
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tsp. coconut oil
2 bananas, sliced into 1" rounds
Flaky sea salt

DIRECTIONS
1. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, heat chocolate in 30-second intervals until melted. Heat peanut butter for 15 seconds in microwave until runny.
3. In a medium bowl, mix chocolate and coconut oil until combined.
4. Into small baking cups, add teaspoon scoops of chocolate. Top with a slice of banana, a teaspoon-sized scoop of peanut butter, and another scoop of chocolate. Repeat until you have used all your banana slices. Top with a pinch of sea salt.
5. Place tray in freezer for 2 hours, or until frozen. Serve.

Banana Pudding Pops

Banana Pudding Pops

INGREDIENTS
1 box instant vanilla pudding
1 1/3 cup cold milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 large bananas, thinly sliced
2 cup crushed vanilla wafers

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, combine vanilla pudding mix, milk and sweetened condensed milk and whisk until smooth. Stir occasionally until the pudding has thickened, about 5 minutes.
2. Place a banana slice on the bottom of each Dixie cup. Top with a big spoonful of pudding mixture. Place a couple more banana slices on top, then sprinkle crushed vanilla wafers on top. Top with more pudding to fill the cup completely, then sprinkle with more wafers.
3. Freeze until solid, at least 5 hours and up to overnight

Skinny Mini Watermelon Cakes

Skinny Mini Watermelon Cakes

INGREDIENTS
1 small watermelon
2 cups cool whip
Rainbow candy sprinkles, for garnish

DIRECTIONS
1. Using a chef’s knife, slice a small portion of the watermelon rind off. Use the flat edge to stabilize the watermelon on a cutting board. Slice the watermelon in 2" thick slices.
2. Using a 3" biscuit cutter, cut small rounds out of the slices of watermelon. Place a dollop of Cool Whip onto each round and sprinkle with candy rainbow sprinkles. Serve.

HK hikes a botanical field trip

By Vir B. Lumicao

Hiking on Hong Kong trails can be an educational field trip for a botany student, and a rewarding outing for a nature tripper, whatever time of the year.

Ripe pod of Asian Oak on Mount
Parker Road in Quarry Bay.

So wide is the biodiversity in a city as small as this former British territory, that there are plants or animals a hiker may encounter in the rugged hills of Tai Po but cannot be seen on the mountains of Lantau.

But then there is a species of African violets that grows on the mossy slopes of Pak Tai To Yan in Fanling that has close relatives on a moist rocky hillside on Victoria Peak as well as on the higher reaches of Mount Parker.

A steady stream of local and visiting hikers are almost always greeted by the mountain’s flora and a few of its less shy fauna like the rhesus macaques (a monkey species) which become aggressive when they sense food or threat to their young; as well as bees, birds or butterflies.

Once, during an early morning hike on a hill in Po Lam, I almost stepped on a two-feet-long green viper waving its pink tail like a rattler as I was going up a secondary trail. I was nimble enough to hop aside and avoid a likely bite.

White Queen's Wreath on Mt Butler. 

Up the rocky trail on the eastern flank of Lion Rock from Old Shatin Pass, white magnolias (Magnolia grandiflora) bloom from February to around April, attracting thousands of honeybees that gather nectar for their breeding season in summer.

I did not notice the bees one Saturday in early April when I and a handful of OFW friends climbed Lion Rock from the Tsz Wan Shan side of the mountain.

Then the buzzing became audible at an elevation of about 350 meters, where the forest cover thinned and was replaced by a carpet of white magnolias and budding rhododendrons growing in crevices of granite boulders.

So attractive were the firm white petals forming a whorl around the yellow pistils that the bees pervaded that part of Lion Rock. But the scene could be entirely different when the pollinated blossoms wither and fall off the stems after mid-April.

Hong Kong trails can come up with surprises to both the ordinary hiker and the avid botanist.

The Birdwood's Mucuna 

On the Bride’s Pool Nature Trail in Tai Po on May 1, for instance, I came across a vine strung above a rocky, sleepy stream that displayed a bunting of green, furry giant pods just meters away from a concrete bridge across the waterway.

It was my first encounter with a Birdwood’s Mucuna, a rare angiosperm which we inhabitants of the forest region of Luzon called “lipay”.

In my primary school days, we used to play lipay shooting games where we lined up the dried mucuna seeds on the ground and flicked them with a “pamato” from a mother seed. A player won all the seeds that he felled in one shot.

Chinese Rhododendron. 

The lipay seeds have now been replaced by electronic gadgets that children play with during recess, depriving the seed gatherer from the jungle of his seasonal income.

Another mountain surprise was the white trumpet lily, which I found swaying in the wind around the peak of Pak Tai To Yan in November last year, when I went hiking with a friend on the Fanling section of the MacLehose Trail. The lily grew up about 10 feet, towering above the vegetation around it ostensibly to reach up for sunlight, an awesome feat as the plant normally has soft stalks when found in the lowlands.

Aside from the endemic Rhododendrons and Melastoma, tiny jewels abound on Hong Kong trails: a wide variety of chrysanthemums, daisies, dandelions and ground orchids, as well as a tapestry of inflorescent reeds, shrubs and trees that drape the hillsides season after season.

Is it really more fun to be rich?

By Francisco J. Colayco

We have to admit that when you have a lot of money you can buy the more expensive cars, houses, clothes etc.  You can also travel more to see a lot of places in the country and the rest of the world.  You can also have more chances of meeting interesting people.  You can eat out more often and go to amusement places to have fun.  You also feel great because you are more secure.

But will the money of the rich last forever?  It may,  but again, it may not.  It all depends on how they manage it.

Guess what…the richer you are, the more difficult time you may have managing your money.  Sure, you could have advisors from all over to help you but conflicting considerations are not easy to resolve, particularly because wrong decisions could result in heavy losses.  The most difficult responsibility of making the final decision is always yours.  The rich who are able to maintain or grow their riches do a lot of studying and reading to accomplish that. They focus on managing risks more than planning to achieve their expected profits. The amounts they invest are substantial and while their profit potential can be big, they also carry substantial and widespread risks.

This is the sad part for those who win big in lotteries.  Most do not have personal financial education so their winnings are quickly lost.

The rich who are enlightened also spend carefully.  Those who wantonly throw away their money eventually end up in the poor house.  Worse, they give  very bad examples to their children who will most likely end up like them.  If they do not experience being poor in their lifetime, there are real possibilities that their children or grandchildren will.

The enlightened rich also know how to share their wealth.  As stated in the Bible, “To whom much is given, much is expected.”   And those who share receive so much more in return.

What do all these tell you?  That it is good to admire the rich who make their money grow so they can share some of it. You should want to follow their good example.

As long as you have a job and you can put aside regular savings, you will be able to follow the path of the rich.  I keep repeating that you can be rich but of course the meaning of rich is different for each person. Whatever your definition is, you first have to learn how to save and make your savings grow. Your real opportunity is to start saving and investing now. Time is of the essence!  Time is your biggest ally in growing your wealth.  Investing regularly over time will compound your savings.  Consider this example of how starting with a small amount can make a real difference in your life: Saving Php10 a day or Php300 a month invested at an average annual rate of 12% for 20 years will grow to PhP273,400, or almost 4 times more than the total amount of PhP72,000 you will have saved over 20 years.  Saving three times this amount, or just thirty pesos a day, will give you close to a million pesos over the same period.  Yes, an average of 12% over 20 years is still possible.

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Learn more from www.colaycofinancialeducation.com.  Note that this website will evolve into an updated one in the coming month.  Watch out for it. Francisco J. Colayco is an entrepreneur, a venture developer and financial advisor.  He is the Author of Seven Bestsellers in the Pera Palaguin Series, the latest of which is now available in bookstores:  “Wealth Reached. Money Worked. Pera Mo, Pinalago Mo!” Find his works and catch him on TV and radio.  Check out: www.colaycofinancialeducation.com, www.franciscocolayco.com, www.kskcoop.com, FaceBook and Instagram.

Bakit nilalangaw?

Nakababahala ang mala-desperadong pag-alok ng mga taga-Consulado ng tiket para sa  isang pagtatanghal kailan lang. Hindi ito ang unang pagkakataon na halos isang linggo na lang ay saka sila magkukumahog na mamigay ng tiket, samantalang buwan ang ginawang preparasyon para sa  mga palabas na ito.

Kaya gaya ng nangyari sa nakaraang palabas sa isang malaking coliseum, na ginastusan ng malaki hindi lang sa costumes kundi sa produksiyon din, hindi kami magugulat  kung marami sa upuan ay bakante.

Kahit libre ang tiket.

Ang masakit ay nasasayang ang ginugol na malaking halaga at hirap sa pagtatanghal na ito, na noong mabuo ay naghihikahos sa manonood para masulit lahat.

Hindi mo masasabing iniwasan ng madla dahil pangit.

Hindi mo masasabing salat ito sa promotion dahil pinag-uusapan sa Facebook at sa mga tambayang OFW.

Hindi rin ito komersiyal, kaya hindi mo masasabing may pakay lang na magbenta ang mga nagtatanghal nito — na nagtataboy ng mga taong suspisyoso.

Hindi rin ito pakulo lang ng mga gustong magpasikat, dahil nasa likod nito ang gobyerno ng Hong Kong at iba pang respetadong organisasyon at kumpanya.

Ang kulang lang talaga —ang kaisa-isang tanong na hindi basta-basta masagot hanggang sa huling sandali — ay: Nasaan ang tiket?

Hindi natin masisisi ang mga taga-Konsulado kung wala silang kontrol sa mga tiket. Pero kung hinihingi ang tulong nila upang mapuno ang mga upuan sa mga ganitong pagtatanghal, dapat nilang idiin sa mga nag-organisa na hindi katanggap-tanggap ang tratong ito sa kanila. Ang paglalako ng tiket na ilang araw lang ang palugit ay pag-iimbita ng kabiguan.

Ang mga taong manonood na kailangan nilang maabutan ng tiket ay isang araw lang tuwing linggo kung lumabas. Kung sa mismong araw ng pagtatanghal lang nila makukuha ang tiket, kung kailan may ibang plano na sila sa araw na iyon, malamang mawalan sila ng interes.

Bakit din naman susuong sa gulo sa kuhanan ng tiket? Madaling tumalikod kung mahaba ang pila. Madaling bawiin ang suporta kung mapagtanto rin nilang hindi pala sila binigyan ng halaga.

Ang kuwento ni Mariel

Ni Mariel F. Tadalan

Akala ko sa paglipat ko sa Hong Kong ay mas gaganda ang aking buhay bilang OFW, hindi pala.

Sanay na ako sa hirap, dahil dati na akong nagtrabaho bilang kasambahay sa Dubai ng dalawang taon, at sa Doha, Qatar ng mahigit limang taon.

Hindi rin maalwan ang buhay na kinalakhan ko sa bayan ng Dipaculao, probinsiya ng Aurora. Panglima ako sa anim na magkakapatid at para maituloy ko ang aking pag-aaral sa kolehiyo ay namasukan ako bilang kasambahay. Pero napilitan akong huminto nang ayaw na akong pag-aralin ng aking amo. Namasukan ako sa iba-ibang kumpanya, ngunit dahil wala akong makuhang permanenteng trabaho ay naisipan kong mangibang bansa.

Maliban sa aking mga magulang at kapatid pansamantalang iniwan ko din ang aking kasintahan.

Una akong nagtrabaho sa Dubai noong taong 2008, at tumagal ako ng dalawang taon. Hindi naging madali ang buhay ko doon. Oo, kumikita ako pero kasabay noon ang matinding lungkot at pagod. Nandoon iyong sinisigawan ako sa maliit na pagkakamali, at hindi ako nakaranas na mag day off o gumamit ng cellphone.

Ngunit kahit na isang beses sa isang buwan lang ako nakakatawag sa aking mga mahal sa buhay ay napapawi din ang lungkot ko, hindi na bale na sa bawat tawag ko ay nagtatanong sila tungkol sa aking padala. Ang mahalaga ay nakakatulong ako sa kanila.

Lumipas ang mga buwan at taon, at matatapos ko na ang kontrata ko. Excited akong umuwi, pero sa hindi inaasahang trahedya ay nabaril ang aking kapatid at muli, ako lang ang inaasahan ng pamilya ko na sumagot sa gastos. Wala akong nagawa kundi ipadala ang natitira kung ipon para pambayad sa ospital at pampaopera para makuha ang bala sa katawan ng kapatid ko.

Ang mas malungkot ay nasabay pa ito sa paghihiwalay namin ng boyfriend ko.

Mahirap magtrabaho bilang OFW pero labis na mahirap magtrabaho kung durog ang puso. Gayunpaman, kailangan kong magpakatatag para sa aking pamilya dahil ako lang inaasahan nila.

Dumating ang takdang oras ng aking pag-uwi sa Pilipinas, pero dahil wala na akong ipon ay nakagsapalaran na naman ako sa Doha, Qatar.

Panibagong lungkot, pagod, puyat at hirap ang tiniis ko, ngunit nakatagal ako ng limang taon sa paninilbihan sa aking mga amo. Hindi biro-birong mura at insulto ang inabot ko sa loob ng pitong taon kong paninilbihan, ngunit tiniis kong lahat. Marami akong mga pagsubok na dinaanan na umabot pa sa puntong gusto ko nang isuko ang katawan at isipan ko.

Ngunit muli ay nagkaroon ng matinding pangangailangan ang aming pamilya. Naospital ang papa ko at kinailangan kong magpadala ng malaking pera para sa kanyang mga gamot at gastos sa ospital.

Dito ko naisipan ang payo ng aking auntie at isang kaibigan sa Hong Kong na lumipat dito dahil mas maganda ang buhay at mas malaki ang sahod.

Hindi ko sulat aklain na mas masahol pa pala sa pinagdaanan ko ang magiging karanasan ko dto sa Hong Kong.

Enero 20, 2017  ika-6 ng hapon nang  dumating ako sa amo ko na walang tulog dahil delayed ang aking flight mula sa Pilipinas.

Unang araw ko pa lang sa amo ko ay pinakain na ako ng tira-tira nilang pagkain. Walang oras ang aking pagkain, pero apat na oras lang ang aking tulog sa bawat araw. Kailangang magising ako ng alas sais ng umaga, at magtrabaho hanggang alas dos ng madaling araw kinabukasan. Pati ang pagkain ko ay kailangang matapos sa loob ng limang minuto, at balik ako agad sa trabaho.

Malimit din akong alipustain, lalo ng amo kong babae. Nandoon yong sabihan ako na bobo, walang utak, baboy, at iba pang masasamang salita. Wala akong magawa kundi umiyak, magdasal at magtiis.

Lumipas ang mga araw at linggo na palagi kong sinasabi sa sarili na magbabago din ang pakikitungo nila sa akin. Pagsubok lang ang lahat ng ito, at kakayanin ko para sa pamilya ko.

Mabilis na lumipas ang isang buwan. Nitong Marso 1 ng kasalukuyang taon, araw ng aking day-ay tumawag muna off ay tumawag muna ako sa aking mga amo para alamin kung nasa bahay na sila dahil hindi nila ako binibigyan ng susi. Pagdating sa bahay ay ginulat ako ng malakas na pagsisigaw ng aking among babae. Bakit pa daw ako bumalik sa bahay nila e wala naman akong kuwentang katulong. Baboy daw ako at palamunin lang dahil hindi ko magampanan nang maayos ang trabaho ko. Sinabihan niya ako na bago ako matulog ay kailangan ko munang linisin ang buong bahay at maghugas ng pinggan at iligpit ang lahat ng kalat.

Natapos ako ng mga bandang alas dos ng madaling araw, ngunit nang naghahanda na akong matulog ay biglang pumasok sa kuwarto ang aking amo at sinabing kailangan kong linisin muli ang sahig dahil marumi pa. Nang makiusap ako na kung puwede ay ipagpabukas na lang ito dahil wala na akong lakas ay nagalit siya, at sinabing paparusahan ako dahil matigas ang ulo ko. Ang ginawa niyang parusa ay pinatulog ako sa kanilang terrace sa labas, kahit na ang lamig-lamig ng mga panahong iyon. Bandang alas tres na noon ng madaling aras, at kailangan kong gumising ulit ng alas sais dahil may pasok ang alaga ko. Natulog akong umiiyak, at  ang tanging isip ay kung bakit may mga taong ganito kasama.

Hindi pa rin nagbago ang pakikitungo sa akin ng aking amo sa mga sumunod na araw, pero nagtiis akong muli. Noong Marso 12, bandang alas dos ng hapon ay humingi ako ng pagkain sa aking amo dahil hindi pa ako nag almusal at tanghalian. Pero nagalit siya, at ang sabi ay hindi ako maaaring kumain ng hindi natatapos ang aking trabaho.

Umalis siya ng bahay, at bandang 3:30pm ay dumating ang amo kong lalaki at aking alaga na dala ang pananghalian ko. Dahil gusto kong matapos na ang trabaho ko ay itinabi ko muna ang pagkain. Pagkatapos ko ay pinainit ko ito sa microwave. Siya namang pagbalik ng amo kong babae at pasigaw na tinanong kung bakit noon lang ako kakain. Hinablot niya ang pagkain, sabay sabi na kung kailan niya ako gustong kumain ay doon ako kakain. Ibinato niya sa basurahan ang pagkain ay inutisan ako na damputin ko at kainin ko.  Pero hindi ko siya sinunod at sinabing hindi ako hayop para pakainin ng nasa basurahan. Sa galit niya sa sinabi ko ay dinuraan niya ako at minura-mura. Tanging iyak na lang ang aking nagawa.

Pero dahil gutom pa rin ako ay kumuha ako ng tubig sa baso para inumin.  Lalo siyang nagalit at hinablot ang baso, bago ibinato niya malapit sa paa ko. Kung hindi ako nakatalon ay malamang na natamaan ako at nasugat.

Naisip ko noon na sa buong buhay ko ay noon lang ako nagkaroon ng ganoon kasing samang amo.

(Itutuloy)

---

Ang salaysay na ito ay mula kay Mariel F. Tadalan, isang domestic worker na kailan lang ay nanalo sa kasong isinampa niya laban sa kanyang amo sa Minor Claims Adjudication Board (Mecab) ng Hong Kong Labour Department. Ayon sa Mecab, nararapat lang na bayaran ng amo ng isang buwang sahod kapalit ng di pagbibigay ng abiso si Mariel, dahil sa pang-aabusong sinapit nito sa kamay ng among babae. Ang pagpapatulog sa Pilipina sa labas ng bahay at iba pang hindi makatarungang pagtrato dito ay nangahulugan na ang amo ang pumutol sa kanilang kontrata, kaya dapat siyang magbayad. Pinayagan ng Immigration si Mariel na manatili sa Hong Kong habang pinoproseso ang kontrata sa kanyang bagong amo.  Ito ay matapos ipakita ni Mariel ang mga litrato, video at iba pang ebidensya ng mga ginawang pang-aabuso sa kanya ng dating amo. -ed)

False promises

By Daisy C.L. Mandap

Overseas Filipino workers will be the first to say how frustrating it has been to rely on government promises to improve their lot.

Proof of this was the government’s announcement that the new OFW ID, also known as iDOLE, would not be given free as promised, but would actually cost several times more than the much-maligned OEC which it’s meant to replace.

The shock announcement came barely two months after Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello assured militant OFW leaders in Hong Kong that the ID would not cost anything as it was a gift from President Rodrigo Duterte.

Secretary Bello also said that the distribution of the cards would begin at the end of the month, or July 31.

He reiterated these promises at a press conference on July 4 in Manila.

Then came the ID’s launch in Malacanang on July 12, and the story was drastically changed, enraging OFW leaders.

An official press statement said the ID was not actually free but would be charged to employers, with recruitment agencies acting as some sort of a guarantor to ensure that the fee is not passed on to the workers.

Hong Kong OFWs who were told a different story by Secretary Bello were understandably irked, calling the introduction of the ID as just another ploy to skim money off them.

But in yet another twist to the story, Bello later reiterated in an interview with social media practitioner Mocha Uson that the ID was indeed free, and that reports saying otherwise were all “tsismis”.

Incensed OFW leaders were not, however, impressed by the flip-flop and have vowed to protest any move to turn the ID into another money-making imposition.

Which could be just as as well, since the OEC itself had been the subject of another government gaffe earlier.

Shortly after the new administration took power, labor officials led by Bello revealed that the OEC was being scrapped under new POEA guidelines, in response to a long-standing call by OFWs.

But hardly had the ink dried on the new POEA rules when a clarification was made- the OEC was actually not being scrapped, but OFWs could apply to be exempted from it by enroling with BMOnline.

To this day, it remains unclear why the OEC is still there when all OFWs are technically exempt from obtaining it.

Comes now the latest mind-boggling requirements imposed on Filipinos abroad who want to send goodies back home using balikbayan boxes. While Customs officials say that the new rules are being enforced to extend a privilege to overseas Filipinos, the impositions suggest otherwise.

The idea originally was to raise the maximum value of the goods allowed to be sent home by Filipinos living abroad, and to stop customs from arbitrarily opening the boxes. Given the difficulty of harmonizing these two conditions, Customs inevitably came up with such bizarre rules as requiring receipts for newly bought items, and making senders  put down a price for each article.

The end result, obviously, is that the sender feels less privileged now than when the old rules were in place.

Given all these, the government should get its act together, and be more upfront with its plans. It’s time our long-suffering OFWs got the just rewards long promised them.

Pinoy resident gets 36 months for car shop theft

By Vir B. Lumicao

A Filipino permanent resident of Hong Kong was convicted and jailed for a total of 36 months on Jul 25 after he pleaded to two charges of theft, one of taking conveyance without authority, and another for burglary.

District Court in Wanchai.

Fredwell Ramos Jr, 38, and married with two children, showed no emotion as Deputy District Court Judge Ernest Lin announced the sentence.

The proceedings were conducted in Cantonese as the defendant spoke and understood the local language because he was born and raised in Hong Kong, the prosecutor said after the hearing.

Ramos was arrested on Sept 22 last year in Yaumatei, after a month-long hunt by the police following a burglary and theft incident at a second-hand car shop in Tsimshatsui.

The prosecutor said he was seen on a CCTV footage entering the shop on Aug 18, 2016, and taking an unspecified amount of cash, and two keys to a company car that were kept in a can.

Three days later, the defendant went to the public parking lot in Tsimshatsui where the company parked its car and the second-hand cars for sale.

He opened the company car and drove away with it.

On Aug 30, the car was recovered in a public carpark in Yaumatei, after a guard reported to police that it had been abandoned there for several days.

When the shop manager checked the vehicle, he discovered that 22 car keys he kept in a can under the driver’s seat were missing.

The prosecutor said Ramos had 12 previous convictions for theft and two for burglary.

On Jan 22 this year, he broke into the manager’s room in a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet in Whampoa Garden, Hung Hom, and stole one laptop computer, a bracelet, $1,000 cash and other personal belongings, the prosecutor said.

Only the computer was recovered.

The prosecutor noted that he carried out the burglary while he was out on bail for the car company theft.

Labour urged to flex muscles vs missing recruiter

By Vir B. Lumicao

Ester Ylagan

Supporters of the more than 300 OFWs allegedly duped by employment agency owner Ester Ylagan have urged Labour Department lawyers to take a tougher tack against the elusive recruiter.

The call came as the owner of Mike’s Secretarial Services failed to appear on Jul 17 in Eastern Court, where she faces 23 charges of overcharging in connection with the alleged job scam in 2016.

Her absence led the prosecution to apply for another adjournment until Oct 20 for further legal advice and to find Ylagan’s new address.

Ylagan faces charges of “collecting payment other than the prescribed commission” after collecting $10,000 to $15,000 each from hundreds of Hong Kong-based applicants  for promised jobs in Britain and Canada.

The postponement was met with frustration by supporters of the complainants against Ylagan, led by Edwina Antonio of the Mission for Migrant Workers.

Antonio told labour prosecutor Gary Tsang that Ylagan had not shown up in any of the hearings of cases filed against her at the Small Claims Tribunal and the District Court.

Antonio is representing more than 100 complainants in both courts.

Tsang was also told that court notices sent to Ylagan at all of her addresses in Hong Kong had bounced.

This has caused the District Court registrar to advise the complainants to take every legal means available to pursue their claims.  Acting on the advice, the claimants had gone back to the Central police station to press their complaint against Ylagan.

At the same time, the claimants sought help from the Philippine Consulate to track down Ylagan, who has reportedly fled to Manila when the cases against her began to surface.

Antonio told Tsang that 129 cases against Ylagan were pending in the District Court while 73 others are set to be heard in Small Claims on Aug 28.

Two labour prosecutors were at Eastern court for the cases against Ylagan and Mike's and stayed until the hearings were adjourned in the morning in a vain attempt to face the accused.

For at least four times, the prosecutors and the court's clerk went around the courtroom calling out Ylagan’s name, but failed to get any response.

The court bunched the cases against Ylagan and heard them last before agreeing on the postponement.

Meanwhile, the District Court Registrar has ordered plaintiff Mary Grace Redulfin and defendant Ylagan to write the court on or before Aug 4 explaining their absence in a hearing on July 7.

Ho also directed Refulfin to confirm whether she intended to continue with the claim against Ylagan, and for Ylagan to confirm whether she intended to defend herself.

If both parties decide to continue, they must follow certain court procedures and appear for another hearing on Oct 13.

Pinakain ng bagoong ang alaga

Takot ang bumalot kay Ana nang minsang madatnan siya ng kanyang among Canadian na pinapakain niya ng bagoong ang alagang walong taong gulang. Sanggol pa lang ito nang dumating siya sa mga amo at siya na ang nagpalaki dito kaya malapit sila sa isa’t isa.

Mabait ang kanyang mga amo at kapamilya na rin ang turing sa kanya kaya libre siyang nakakapagluto ng sarili niyang pagkain kahit nasa bahay ang mga ito.

Minsan ay may nagpadala sa kanya ng bagoong na ginisa sa baboy at hipon. Kahit takam na takam na ay itinago muna niya sa refrigerator dahil alam niyang matapang ang amoy nito at baka hindi magustuhan ng mga amo.

Saka lang niya ito inilabas at ininit nung kakain na siya ng tanghalian mag-isa. Ang kaso ay nakita siya ng alaga at sumalo ito sa kanya. Nilantakan ng bata ang bagoong at ang sabi pa ay, “very yummy, auntie”.

Hindi inaasahan ni Ana ang biglang pagdating ng kanyang among babaeng habang ang kanilang bahay ay nangangamoy pa ng bagoong.

Agad na ibinida ng bata kung ano ang kinain nito, na sinundan ng ina ng malakas na halakhak. Ang sabi pa nito, “Thats great. You can survive if you want to go with your Auntie Ana to the Philippines.” Si Ana ay isang Ilongga at dalaga. - Merly Bunda

Napaglipasan ang mag-tiya

Si Athea ay isang dalaga at matagal na rin nagtatrabaho sa abroad. Labindalawang taon siya sa Middle East at magtatatlong taon na sa Hong Kong.

May isa siyang tiyahin dito na malapit sa kanya bagamat bihira silang magkita dahil parehong marami ang lakad tuwing Linggo. Pero palagi naman silang nagtawagan o nag-cha chat kapag pareho silang libre sa oras.

Minsan sa kanilang kuwentuhan ay nasabi ng tiyahin na baka mapaglipasan din siya ng panahon kagaya nito. Panay ang tulak ng kanyang tiya na maghanap ng nobyo, o pumili na kung may nanliligaw sa kanya.

Ang sabi naman ni Athea ay hindi pa huli ang lahat para sa kanila.

Kamakailan ay tinawagan ni Athea ang tiya at tuwang tuwa na ibinalita na may kaibigan siya na nagpapahanap ng mapapangasawa ang kanyang kapatid na isang marino at may mataas na posisyon. Sabi niya sa tiya ay magkaidad lang sila nung lalaki. Tawa lang ang isinagot ng kanyang tiya.

Nang maka chat niyang muli ang kaibigan ay sinabi nito na may nakita na siyang babae na inireto sa kanyang kuya.

Ayon naman sa kanyang tiya, hayaan na lang niya dahil kung may para sa kanya ay darating na lang ito ng kusa. Kung wala ay wala na din tayong magawa, sabi ng tiya. Nagtawanan na lang ang dalawa na parehong hindi pa rin sumusuko sa pag-ibig. - Merly Bunda

Sumaya pa si Gemma nang materminate

Na-terminate man ay nakuha pa ring magpasalamat ni Gemma na anim na buwan lang ang itinagal sa mga among taga mainland China.

Lagi kasi siyang gutom, lalo na kung pumupunta sa China ang kanyang mga amo, at hindi siya iniiwanan ng food allowance. Minsan ay inabot sila doon ng isang buwan kaya hindi biro ang inabot na gastos ni Gemma para masigurong hindi siya magugutom.

Ang dahilan na ibinigay ng amo ay hindi siya marunong magluto, na ikinabigla ni Gemma dahil ayaw naman siya nitong magluto ng pagkain nila. At sa kakuriputan ng mga ito ay wala naman halos mailuto sa bahay nila.

Ora mismo ay pinababa siya ng amo noong hapon ding iyon, at binayaran ng lahat ng dapat. Umaasa si Gemma na makahanap ng bagong amo bago umuwi sa kanila sa Iloilo, at sana ay hindi naman kasing kuripot ng dati ang makuha niya. - Merly Bunda

Pinilit na isabay ang bakasyon niya sa mga amo

Si AJ ay mahigit tatlong taon na sa mga amo sa New Territories. Ibig sabihin, nagustuhan naman ang kanyang unang dalawang taon na pagtatrabaho sa kanila kaya siya pinirmahang muli. Sa kabila nito, may video camera pa rin ang lahat ng sulok ng bahay ng mga amo kaya palaging de-numero ang kilos ni AJ.

Medyo nagsisisi na nga siya at pumayag pa siyang pumirma ulit ng kontrata. Ang mas masaklap nakatakdang magbakasyon ngayong Agosto ang kanyang mga amo, at ang gusto ay umalis siya sa bahay nila habang wala sila.

Pinamili siya kung gusto ba niyang manatili sa Hong Kong o umuwi sa Pilipinas, sa kundisyong ang sapilitang pagbabakasyon niya ay ikakaltas sa kanyang annual leave.

Bagamat napipilitan ay sinabi niyang mas gusto niyang manatili sa Hong Kong dahil wala siyang malaking ipon para magbakasyon sa Pilipinas.

Ngayon ay napag-isip isip ni AJ na parang hindi tama na ipagtabuyan siya ng mga amo gayong wala pa naman siyang balak magbakasyon, at ang gusto niya ay sa piling panahon niya gugulin ang kanyang annual leave.

Sa kanyang pagtatanong, may nagsabi kay AJ na hindi niya dapat sundin ang utos ng amo na magbakasyon siya. Dapat ay magkasundo silang pareho kung kailan niya gustong gamitin ang mga araw na itinakda para sa kanyang pagbabakasyon.

Nagdesisyon siya na pumunta sa Philippine Overseas Labor Office at manghingi ng tulong o sulat na maaari niyang maipakita sa mga amo para malaman nilang labag sa kanilang kasunduan ang gusto nilang mangyari. Si AJ ay dalaga. —
DCLM

iDOLE card hangs in air amid fee issue

By The SUN staff

Overseas Filipino workers and Philippine labor officials abroad remain in the dark over the new OFW ID that Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said would be distributed soon following its launch on June 12 in Manila.

Bello initially said the card would be distributed starting July 31, but the plan appears to have been put on hold after a controversy erupted on whether the card would be free as promised.

A statement issued by Malacanang during its launch said employers will have to pay for the card, and employment agencies should ensure that the fee is paid.

In the wake of the outcry that followed this announcement, Bello was interviewed by pro-government blogger Mocha Uson where he reiterated that the card will be given free.

However, he no longer set a date for its distribution.

In Hong Kong, Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre has said he has yet to receive guidelines on issuing the OFW ID, which is meant to replace the much-criticised overseas employment certificate.

On the other hand, OFW leaders to whom Bello promised a free iDOLE card are outraged over plans to charge a fee to employers.

Dolores Balladares, chair of United Filipinos in Hong Kong-Migrante, said: “Now, it is revealed that (the iDOLE) is not actually free, and it is our employers who will pay for it. This is an outrage! ... He’s reneging on his promise.”

She said not all employers are kind-hearted enough to agree to pay for the card so OFWs would be forced to pay the fee themselves just to keep their jobs.

Her secretary general, Eman Villanueva, said the iDOLE had turned out to be another moneymaking instrument of the government.

Unifil-Migrante HK scheduled a march in Central on July 23 against the iDOLE and the new governmennt policy on balikbayan boxes, but cancelled at the last minute as the typhoon signal 8 was hoisted over Hong Kong.

The protest action had been reset for Sunday, July 30.

Meanwhile, the POEA issued a notice in Filipino titled “Paglilinaw tungkol sa OFW ID” on its webpage to clear the confusion over the new ID.

The agency that would manage the distribution has a three-point advice to the public:

   * Hindi pa po nagbibigay ng OFW ID sa ngayon. Hindi pa po tapos ang guidelines tungkol dito (The OFW ID is not yet being issued. The guidelines on this are not yet ready)

    * Habang wala pa ang ID, sa bmonline.ph pa rin po ang exemption o appointment para sa OEC ng mga balik-manggagawa (While the ID is not yet available, please use bmonline.ph to apply for exemption or set an appointment for OEC for returning workers)

      * Hintayin po ang mga susunod na announcement para sa tamang proseso ng pagkuha ng ID ng mga OFW (Please wait for the next announcement on the correct process of securing the OFW ID)

No mention was made about a fee being charged for the card.

Bello said DOLE would soon issue the guidelines for issuing the OFW card, which he described as President Duterte’s “best gift” to millions of OFWs.

The card is promised to ensure easy transactions between OFWs and government and private agencies.

He said the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration would upload the names of duly registered OFWs to the DOLE cloud, then download them for printing.

“All the unique IDs will be delivered to them, whether they are in the Philippines or overseas,” Bello said.

He said that the OFW ID will undergo a three-month pilot run before it can serve as the OFW’s automated OEC, and airport and immigration ID pass. But this time around, he gave no date on when the card would be issued.

Nag-negosyo pagkatapos mag-for good (Part 2)

Marami ang mga events na
kailangan ng catering service, gaya ng binyagang ito. 

Ni Cristina Cayat

Paano na ang buhay pagkatapos mag-Hong Kong?

Ang mga sumusunod ay kasaysayan ng mga ina, kapatid at anak na nagsakripisyong iwan ang kanilang mga mahal sa buhay upang makamit ang kanilang mga pangarap.

Pero sa pag-usad ng panahon sa dayuhang lupa, maraming pagsubok ang kanilang naranasan, at marami din silang natutunan. Sadya ngang ang puhunan sa pangingibang-bansa ay tibay ng loob para makamit ang mga pangarap sa kabila ng maraming pagsubok.

Ang mga manggagawang ito ay nakabalik na sa Pilipinas ngunit dala pa rin ang maraming aral na natutunan para patuloy na magsikap tungo sa tagumpay.

Isa sa kanila si Josephine Campos na mas kilala sa palayaw na Jo at ngayon ay bantog na rin bilang si JC The Foodie, na regular na nagsusulat ng column tungkol sa pagkain para sa The SUN at ngayon ay may sarili na ring blog.

Ang kanyang hilig sa pagluluto ang siyang dahilan kung bakit negosyo sa pagkain ang naisipan niyang pasukan pagkatapos bumalik sa piling ng kanyang mga mahal sa buhay noong Disyembre ng nakaraang taon.

Sa kasalukuyan ay tinutulungan niya ang pamangking chef na si Mae Maghirang-Tovera sa catering business nito, habang inaayos pa nila ang plano para sa isang negosyo na may kinalaman din sa pagkain.

Abala din si Jo sa pag-aahente ng bigas at itlog sa ilalim ng EDJ Enterprises, isang negosyo na itinatag nila ng mga kaanak na sina Edwin at Dothy Cortez. Ang pangalan ng kumpanya ay hango sa unang letra ng kani-kanilang mga pangalan.

Matrabaho ang negosyo dahil kailangan nilang bumiyahe madalas sa Bulacan para mamili ng bigas, at sa Teresa, Rizal naman para sa mga itlog na dinadala nila sa mga kliyente nila na karamihan ay mga restaurant. Kasama sa

trabaho ni Jo ang paghawak sa koleksiyon na pera at ang paghahanap ng mga bagong kliyente.

Pero ang talagang pinaghahandaan niya ngayon ay ang balak niyang pagtatayo ng catering business kasama muli ang pamangking si Mae na tatawagin nilang JC The Foodie. Ayon kay Jo, ito ang negosyo na pumasok agad sa isip niya pagkabalik pa lang niya sa Pilipinas. Pero kinailangan muna niyang pag-aralan ang mga bagong "trend" o uso sa industrya bago niya umpisahan ang pangarap na negosyo. Sa kanyang pag-oobserba, nakita niya diumano na malakas ang kumpetensiya lalo na sa food trucks at food parks sa Cainta at Marikina City kung saan siya naninirahan.

Sabi ni Jo ay nakita niya na marami naman din palang pwedeng gawin sa Pilipinas basta matiyaga ka lang. Dati kasi ay takot siyang umuwi dahil ayaw niyang maging pabigat sa pamilya. Kaya naman umabot siya ng 31 taon sa pagtatarabaho sa Hong Kong. Ang nasa isip niya noon ay magpatuloy sa pagtatrabaho bilang domestic worker hanggang kaya pa ng katawan niya.

Ngunit nagbago ang kanyang isip nang maging madalas ang kanyang pagbabakasyon. Nakita daw niyang  hindi naman ganoon kahirap ang buhay sa Pilipinas basta’t marunong ka lang dumiskarte.

Sa dami ng kanyang pinagkakaabalahan ay parang wala ng oras si Jo para mag-isip ng iba pang negosyo. Pero hindi, dahil ang talagang pangarap niya bukod sa sariling catering ay ang magtayo ng restaurant dahil hilig daw niya talaga ang magluto.

Kuwento niya, una siyang kinumbinsi ng mga kapatid na umuwi na dalawang taon na ang nakakaraan para sa balak nilang magtayo ng isang kainan. Pero hindi agad ito natuloy dahil kinailangan pa nilang magsaliksik sa kung anong klase ng kainan ang papatok. Ngayon ay mas kampante na sila kaya malapit nang matupad ni Jo ang pangarap na ito, sa tulong ng kanyang pamangkin na si Mae na tapos ng culinary arts sa Enderun Colleges.

Kahit naging masaya naman sa kabuuan ang kanyang buhay sa abroad, masaya din daw siya sa desisyon niya na umuwi na. Ang tanging pinanghihinayang niya ay naiwan ang kanyang mga matatalik na kaibigan, pero alam daw niya na magkikita din sila balang araw sa Pilipinas.

Kung si Jo ay ang pagnenegosyo sa pagkain ang piniling pasukan, si Erlin Feliciano Chi naman ay umuwi upang ipagpatuloy ang kanilang family business na pag fossilize  ng mga bulaklak. Matapos ang 20 taong pangingibang-bansa ay nagpasya siyang umuwi na sa Pilipinas noong Pebrero ng taong ito. Ang amo niya sa nagdaang walong taon ay nagpasyang pumunta  ng Canada, kaya  si Erlin ay sa Pilipinas naman nagdesisyong bumalik. Aniya, tama na ang 20 taon na pangingibang bansa. Palagay na daw siya sa kalagayan ng nag-iisang anak dahil nakapagtapos na naman Ito ng pag-aaral at may sarili ng buhay.

Marami ang nagbago sa takbo ng buhay niya ngayong nasa Pilipinas na siya. Una, mula sa pagiging isang kasambahay ay boss na siya sa kanyang anim na empleyado. Pangalawa, ngayon lang daw niya nararamdaman ang lungkot sa pagkamatay ng kanyang asawa ilang taon na ang nakakaraan. Dahil nasa Hong Kong ay hindi daw niya masyadong naramdaman ang lungkot noon, pero ngayong nasa Pilipinas na siya ay ramdam na ramdam niya ang pangungulila.

Ito daw ang pinakalaking "challenge” sa kanyang pagbabalik, ngunit hindi siya pwedeng magpapadala sa lungkot lalo na at nasimulan na niyang maglagay ng pondo sa negosyo niyang Flower Queen Enterprise sa Barangay Gamis, Sagunday, Quirino. Ito na ang nagbibigay sa kanya ng lakas at nagtutulak upang siya ay gumalaw at sumunod sa agos ng buhay.

Marami din daw mga pagsubok sa negosyong kanyang pinasok, kabilang na ang mga order na hindi itinuloy na kinuha at hindi rin binayaran ng nagpagawa. Sabi ni Erlin mabuti na lang at hindi nabubulok ang kanyang mga bulaklak kaya pwede pa nilang magamit sa ibang mga order.

Ang isa pang maganda sa kanyang negosyo ay hindi siya nahihirapan sa pagkuha ng mga bulaklak dahil marami ang supply, at hindi rin seasonal o depende sa panahon ang kanyang kita. Gayunpaman, mas malakas ang negosyo tuwing araw ng mga puso, araw ng mga patay at tuwing naka bakasyon ang mga mag-aaral.

Hindi siya nahirapan na simulan ito dahil alam na niya ang pasikot-sikot ng negosyo bago pa siya umalis ng bansa.

Hindi nga lang daw naipagpatuloy ng kanyang mga magulang noon. Nang makapagtapos siya ng Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship training ng Ateneo ay nagkaroon siya ng lakas ng loob na ituloy ang negosyo

Kamakailan lamang ay nagbigay siya ng libreng workshop sa Davao sa paraan ng pag fossilize ng mga bulaklak. Kabilang sa mga dumalo ang 60 katao na mula sa iba-ibang tribo sa Davao, at 50 mula sa Wimler Foundation, na siya ring umako ng kanyang gastos sa pagpunta at pagtira doon ng halos isang linggo.

Sa pakikipag-ugnayan ng Overseas Workers Welfare Administration sa Davao ay nagbigay din siya ng kaaalaman sa mga manggagawa na nagbalik ng bansa mula sa ilang taong pagtatrabaho sa ibayong dagat.

Ayon kay Erlin, masaya siyang nakapagbigay ng dagdag kaalaman sa mga taga Davao. Sana ay nakatulong din siya para makapag-umpisa sila ng kanilang pangkabuhayan.

Departing welfare officer eyes expanded PDOS

By Vir B. Lumicao

Filipino families should discuss thoroughly plans of either parent to work abroad in a strengthened pre-departure orientation seminar way ahead of deployment.

This, said departing social welfare atache Elizabeth Lim Dy, would boost family ties and values, and help keep the family intact during the long separation.

Dy, the first welfare attache to be assigned in Hong Kong, is set to leave at the end of her three-year posting on July 31. Her office, which has been providing counseling to four to five OFWs daily, will shut down until a new attaché takes over.

She should have left in May but was given an extension by her new boss, DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo

“Sana, bago sila (OFWs) umalis, meron na silang self-realization ng kung anong maaaring mangyari,” Dy told The SUN in an interview on July 21.

She is pushing for pre-departure education of both the OFW and their families that ideally starts at the local government level, saying the workers do not seem ready to cope with the likely impact of leaving their loved ones.

“Isang bagay na inirirekomenda namin ay to strengthen the pre-departure orientation na kasama talaga yung welfare cases services para maintidihan (ng mga pamilya ng OFWs). It’s not that easy to just leave your family, your country, then go to another country and you’re not ready, not prepared, and eto yung magiging mangyari sa iyo,” Dy said.

“Iba kasi ang preparation sa family eh. When you leave your country... ang pinakaunang iniwan mo, hindi lang yung country, yung family mo, sarili mo,” Dy said.

Hong Kong is one of seven foreign posts where the DSWD has a presence, the others being Dubai, Jeddah, Riyadh, Kuwait, Malaysia, and Qatar.

There used to be another in Korea but it has since closed down, and Dy says she is unsure whether it was for good.

Dy said Taguiwalo wanted to know what the needs of the various posts are and asked for an assessment. “It’s either na magdagdag o (bawasan) yung posts, kung ano yung kailangan,” she said.

Dy considers Hong Kong the hardest of the seven foreign posts due to the predominance of female OFWs here. She recalls that she noticed the big number of Filipina inmates doing time for drug-related offenses when she arrived here in 2014.

“Perhaps they didn’t realize the seriousness of what they got themselves into, especially drug-related problems,” Dy said.

She was also appalled by the many cases of abuse committed by employers on maids

But the most common OFW problem that the Social Welfare unit deals with in Hong Kong is family issues, including extramarital relations and child abuse.

She said workers often focus only on seeking greener pastures without seeing the need to talk with the family about the possible adverse impact of the long separation.

If the husband and wife are physically far apart and one does not know how to manage the situation, child abuse, even rape, could set in.

“Soon they realize that even the children are abused to the extent of bein raped by their own father, family member, or somebody from the community,” Dy said.

The resulting stress could lead a worker to depression, but Dy said her unit could manage that with collaborative effort and support from the host government.

“Ang goal natin ay maayos man lamang yung kanilang pamilya , o yung sariling worker natin or, at least, yung social functioning man lang niya maaayos through psychosocial intervention to help her pull herself together and find a way to help her family,” Dy said.

When necessary, Dy would refer cases to Hong Kong’s  Social Welfare Department and the International Social Service , or forward them to the DSWD in Manila. Some of these were juvenile-related welfare cases, while others involved inter-country adoption.

In some of these cases, temporay shelter had to be secured for pregnant OFWs who did not want to return to the Philippines because the chid they were carrying were from an illicit affair in Hong Kong.

“So, they ask the DSWD for a shelter until such time that they are prepared to face their families”, Dy said.

With her unit about to close down, many troubled Filipinas in Hong Kong and Macau, which has been part of Dy’s coverage, will now have to turn somewhere else for help and comfort.